A Houston Methodist study has revealed how obesity can drive Alzheimer’s disease. Fat tissue releases extracellular vesicles carrying harmful lipids that cross the blood-brain barrier and accelerate the formation of amyloid-beta plaques.
A new study from Houston Methodist has revealed how obesity may directly contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists found that fat tissue releases tiny messengers called extracellular vesicles (EVs), which can carry harmful signals into the brain. These vesicles are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, making them a powerful connection between excess body fat and brain health.
How obesity influences Alzheimer’s
The research, published on October 2 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, shows that the lipid cargo (fat molecules) carried by these vesicles differs between people with obesity and those who are lean. These differences affect how quickly amyloid-beta plaques, toxic clumps linked to Alzheimer’s, form in the brain.
Lead researcher Dr. Stephen Wong, the John S. Dunn Presidential Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Engineering and director of the Chao Centre for BRAIN at Houston Methodist, explained that obesity is now recognised as the top modifiable risk factor for dementia in the US. “Our study shows how obesity-related signals can accelerate harmful processes in the brain,” he said.
What the study discovered
The team studied vesicles using both mouse models and human fat tissue samples. They found that these microscopic particles, which normally help cells communicate, may become dangerous in obesity by speeding up amyloid aggregation.
The study also revealed that specific lipids carried by vesicles differ between obese and lean individuals. These changes can worsen brain damage by influencing how fast amyloid-beta proteins clump together.
Implications for treatment
The researchers believe that targeting these vesicles may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s in people with obesity. By disrupting the harmful communication signals, new therapies could be developed to slow or prevent the build-up of toxic proteins.
“Drug therapies that block or alter these vesicle signals could be an important future strategy to reduce Alzheimer’s risk,” the researchers noted.
Collaborative research effort
Alongside Dr. Wong, the research was led by Li Yang, Ph.D., and Jianting Sheng, Ph.D., at the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. Other contributors include scientists from The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
The findings highlight the urgent need to address obesity, which affects nearly 40% of the US population, as part of Alzheimer’s prevention. The disease already impacts over 7 million Americans, making it one of the most pressing public health challenges.